The Ministry of Coal has conveyed the home coal provide plan of 906.1 million tonnes (MT) to the facility sector for FY 2025-26 in accordance with the Ministry of Energy’s communication on the requirement for the monetary yr 2025-26, the Parliament was knowledgeable on Monday.
There’s sufficient availability of coal within the nation at current. As per the Central Electrical energy Authority (CEA), the coal inventory at home coal-based energy vegetation stands at 53.49 million tonne (MT) as on March 10, 2025, compared to 44.51 MT on the corresponding day of the final yr 2023-24 with a development fee of 20.20 per cent. The present coal inventory is adequate for about 20 days at 85 per cent plant load issue (PLF), Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy advised the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.
Through the present yr 2024-25, the nation has produced 929.15 MT (provisional) of coal (as much as February 2025) compared to 881.16 MT within the corresponding interval of the final yr 2023-24 with a development fee of 5.45 per cent, the minister mentioned.
The main target of the federal government is on growing the home manufacturing of coal to fulfill the vitality requirement of the nation. The nation has witnessed highest highest-ever coal manufacturing within the yr 2023-24 with the all-India home coal manufacturing at 997.826 MT compared to 893.191 MT within the yr 2022-2023 with a development of about 11.71 per cent, he said.
The availability of coal to the facility vegetation is a steady course of. Coal provide is constantly monitored by the coal firms and in addition by an Inter-Ministerial Sub-Group comprising representatives from the Ministries of Energy, Coal, and Railways, the CEA, Coal India Restricted (CIL) and the Singareni Collieries Firm Restricted (SCCL) which meet often to take varied operational choices to reinforce the availability of coal to thermal energy vegetation, Reddy mentioned.
Moreover, an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has additionally been constituted comprising the Railway Board Chairperson, the Coal Secretary, the Atmosphere, Forest and Local weather Change Secretary, and the Energy Secretary to watch the augmentation of coal provide and energy era capability.
Secretary, New and Renewable Power and the CEA Chairperson are co-opted as particular invitees as and when required by the IMC, he added.
In reply to a different query, the minister mentioned consistent with India’s Panchamrit & Nationally Decided Contribution (NDC) commitments, Ministry of Coal is selling sustainable coal mining and discount in carbon footprint.
The coal PSUs have been always making efforts to minimise the footprints of coal mining by means of sustained reclamation and afforestation of areas in and round their working mines.
As well as, coal PSUs are taking part in in depth plantation below the Inexperienced Credit score Programme launched by the Ministry of Atmosphere, upgrading mechanised coal transportation and loading programs, and deploying fashionable tools having environment-friendly options, like floor miner, and steady miner in coal mining, which eliminates the drilling, blasting and crushing operations in coal and therefore, in flip, obviates air pollution brought on because of these operations. Rippers are additionally being deployed for blast-less removing of overburden in some mines.
Moreover, coal PSUs have additionally began commissioning Renewable Power energy tasks. Moreover, they’re venturing into varied clear coal applied sciences like coal gasification, and coal mattress methane (CBM), he added.
